Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Indian Cooking Basics

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Indian Cooking Basics

A Garam Masala Spice Mix is a blend of warm spices used in Indian cooking. Often you add it to dishes such as tandoori, tikkas and curries. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for homemade garam masala spice mix will turn your every day cooking to a gourmet masterpiece with just a pinch of this warm spice.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Indian Garam Masala Spice Blend

What Really is Garam Masala?

First of all, it’s pronounced as gah-ram mah-sah-lah. While there is no ‘h’ in the spelling, it’s very much in the pronunciation. In Hindi, which is the national language of India, the word garam means ‘warm or hot’ and the word masala means ‘spices’. So, basically, garam masala is a blend of warm spices.

Hence, it’s a blend of warm spices commonly used in Indian cooking. While garam masala is an Indian spice, there are many versions and variations of it depending on the region. For example, the garam masala in north India will be a little different from that from the south of India. Also, many families have a secret recipe for their garam masala. Typically, this recipe is passed down over the years, from one generation to the next, and guarded as a family secret.

If you like spice mixes like pumpkin spice and gingerbread spice, you will probably love garam masala. Because a lot of these spices are quite similar, such as cinnamon and cloves, etc.

Garam masala adds tons of flavor to an Indian dish. Same as gingerbread spices can pep the gingerbread dough, or pumpkin spice adds depth of flavor to an apple pie.

Is there a difference between curry powder and garam masala?

Yes!! A huge difference. Curry powder consists of basic ingredients that contribute to the taste of the curry, like, coriander, cumin, chilly, cayenne, etc. While garam masala consists of ingredients that add more in terms of flavor such as cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. As a result, it does add a little taste but not as much as curry powder does to your curry.

Also, you can make a delicious curry with only curry powder and no garam masala. And yet, not the other way around. So, if you had to pick just one – pick the curry powder first because you need the spices in the curry powder as the base for your curry. The garam masala will enhance those flavors and take your curry to the never level.

Therefore, if made correctly, the spices in curry powder and garam masala will not be the same. These days you get curry powders that include some of the garam masala spices in there and vice versa. The problem with this is that when you use both together sometimes these spices get doubled in the curry which ends up with your curry being over powdered with one particular spice. For example, if you have cumin in curry powder and garam masala – guess what now you have too much cumin in your curry. One way to deal with this would be to buy the same brand of curry powder and garam masala. Since they usually pick the ingredients that balance the two together.

Garam Masala Spice Mix has Health Benefits Too!

There are plenty of health benefits to garam masala! Remember my 5 spice ginger tea for cold and sore throat? All these spices apart from adding flavor and warmth to our body have been used for thousands of years by our ancestors for medicinal purposes. Therefore, you can learn about it in the Indian literature. And there is a long history of the uses of the garam masala spices in Ayurvedic medicine. Due to the fact that these spices are full of antioxidant properties.

Also, a little goes a long way with them. Just add a sprinkle of garam masala in your next cookie dough to see what I mean. And while there are many different variations of the garam masala – the most common spices used are black pepper, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, mace, and bay leaves.

While some people add other spices such as coriander, cumin, fennel, and turmeric. I personally think these do not belong in garam masala. Rather they belong in curry powder or can be put in the specific dish separately, depending on the dish. For example, fennel goes really well with lamb, and yet not necessarily with fish or chicken.

Today, I’m going to share with you my mom’s secret recipe for homemade garam masala. The best part of this recipe is you can use it not just in Indian cooking but also in pies, and cookies dough just as you would use pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice. These warm spices will warm you up in winter or add depth of flavor to your next comfort food.

Tip to buying store bought garam masala spice mix

I’m crazy about making my own spice mixes. And yet, I don’t expect everybody else to be the same. Still, I recommend that you make your own garam masala at home. But what if you don’t have all those spices? Yes, you can buy a store-bought garam masala. Which one should you choose? Here are a few things to take note. Now, this is my opinion and it’s not meant for or any particular brand.

First of all, I would not buy a garam masala that is not brown in color! No matter how many variations of garam masala I have seen over the years in India, almost all are brown.

Turmeric – I would not buy one that has turmeric powder in there. While it’s a wonderful spice, it does not belong in garam masala. Rather, it should be in curry powder.

In addition, for me, coriander, cumin, paprika belong in curry powder, not in garam masala. I often see a brand that tries to sell their garam masala as the one and only spice you will need for your next Indian curry. Nah, garam masala is used to enhance the flavor, not as the only flavor to curry powder. Furthermore, you can make a delicious curry with just curry powder alone but not the other way around.

The issue with this “one and only spice you will need” is that often garam masala is used in addition to curry powder, which again has coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika! So, when you add both curry powder and garam masala in your recipe you now have an overdose of some spices which don’t necessarily work well.

So next time you buy garam masala read the label it will tell you what it has in it.

Brown Cardamon – Often referred to as a queen of spices by many Indian chefs. Very different from the green cardamon. It adds a delicious strong smokey taste and flavor. As a result, it’s often used in meat dishes like chicken biryani as well as in Indian Chai Spice Mix. Also, it can be added to stews, slow cooked and braised dishes too. I highly recommend looking for this spice as it does add so much depth of flavor. Having said that, if you must substitute I suggest you add two more green cardamons.

Green Cardamon – Has a very strong pungent flavor. Very commonly used in middle eastern coffee. The cardamon has a number of seeds inside the pods which are usually what are ground and sold as cardamon powder. Here, we use the whole spice including the outside green cover.

Star Anise – Does actually look like a star with a seed in the middle and eight segments. It has a slightly bitter flavor and is very popularly used as medicine. I remember when we had the flu, mom would boil star anise in milk, then add a pinch of turmeric, pepper, and honey. We didn’t have a choice we had to drink it up! Now I do it with my babies too.

Mace – Unfortunately this wonderful spice is very rarely used. My mom used it often. Mace is the outer cover of the nutmeg which has a tan yellowish and red color. It has a nutty, sweet and warm flavor. You can use a pinch of mace powder in desserts just like you would use nutmeg. I know mace can be hard to find so if you can’t find it you can omit it. Do not use nutmeg as a substitute as it is has a strong flavor and does not do with all dishes.

Bay Leaf and Cinnamon- these are very easily found in most supermarkets and are often used in cooking stews, soups, and pot roast. For garam masala spice mix, I prefer to use the dried variety as it blends to a powder more easily.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix - Indian Cooking Basics

A Garam Masala Spice Mix is a blend of warm spices used in Indian cooking. Often you add it to dishes such as tandoori, tikkas and curries. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for homemade garam masala spice mix will turn your every day cooking to a gourmet masterpiece with just a pinch of this warm spice.

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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About Veena Azmanov

Veena Azmanov is a professional Cake Artist and Food Enthusiast. The Founder, Editor, Creator and Recipe Developer on this blog. Follow her cake and food journey on this blog as she explores new and classic recipes with a twist.

Comments

I don’t find garam masala here so I always omit it from my recipes. I didn’t know it was so easy to make at home. I made some last week using your recipe and wow..what a difference it can make. I will never buy store bought again. Love the smell!!

Thank you so much Patty . Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always happy to her from those who has tried my recipes or tutorials. If you share it on Instagram please do tag me @veenaazmanov so I can see your finished work. Thanks

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